THE SPREAD of the Gospel in the BOOK of ACTS WELCOME to FELLOWSHIP PRAYER REQUESTS PRAYER TEAM
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WITNESSES THE SPREAD OF THE gospel IN THE BOOK OF ACTS WELCOME TO FELLOWSHIP PRAYER REQUESTS PRAYER TEAM WITNESSES THE SPREAD OF THE gospel IN THE BOOK OF ACTS Questions for WITNESSES Why do we come to church (if you do)? Regular attender or regular misser? How is the truth communicated best? Are you readyActs to receive 17 and evaluate? In the second century BC, the Romans built a highway called the via Egnatia from Dyrrachium on the Adriatic Sea to Byzantium (now called Constantinople) near the Black Sea, a distance of almost 700 miles. Nearly 20 feet wide and paid with hand laid stone slabs, it carried Roman troops to battle, and merchandise everywhere. Chuck Swindoll PAUL’S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY c. AD 49 – 52 (Ac 15:3 9 –18:22) THRACE Black Sea A C E D O N N D P O N T US M I A A Philippi Byzantium I A Amphipolis Neapolis N Thessalonica Y Samothrace Nicaea H A Berea Apollonia T t I I A Gulf on I sp Prusa B C lle T He O A Troas A Dorylaeum D e MYSIA g e L A a Thyatira A n I P A A C H A I G Pisidian P A S ASIA e G a Y Antioch A Athens Ephesus . Corinth R C s Iconium t H Cilician M Saronic Lystra Cenchreae P Gates Derbe I A s Gulf Sila u C nd s l a I Pau n L Tarsus a I m C Seleucia A Rhodes Pieria Antioch S Y as ab R CRETE S arn k U B ar . R d M A R I P an C Y I s e A M C t e I n d o i N t r e E r r Sidon O a n O e a n S e a H Damascus Tyre P Caesarea I A Route of the Egnatian Way 0 100 km. PALESTINE A B R 0 100 miles Jerusalem A PAUL’S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEY c. AD 49 – 52 (Ac 15:3 9 –18:22) THRACE Black Sea A C E D O N N D P O N T US M I A A Philippi Byzantium I A Amphipolis Neapolis N Thessalonica Y Samothrace Nicaea H A Berea Apollonia T t I I A Gulf on I sp Prusa B C lle T He O A Troas A Dorylaeum D e MYSIA g e L A a Thyatira A n I P A A C H A I G Pisidian P A S ASIA e G a Y Antioch A Athens Ephesus . Corinth R C s Iconium t H Cilician M Saronic Lystra Cenchreae P Gates Derbe I A s Gulf Sila u C nd s l a I Pau n L Tarsus a I m C Seleucia A Rhodes Pieria Antioch S Y as ab R CRETE S arn k U B ar . R d M A R I P an C Y I s e A M C t e I n d o i N t r e E r r Sidon O a n O e a n S e a H Damascus Tyre P Caesarea I A Route of the Egnatian Way 0 100 km. PALESTINE A B R 0 100 miles Jerusalem A THESSOLANICA THESSOLANICA PAUL’S SECOND MISSIONARY JOURNEYAND HIS c. AD 49 – 52 (Ac 15:3 9 –18:22) MISSIONARY BAND Aristarchus THRACE Black Sea A C E D O N I Epaphroditus N D P O N T US SecundusM A A Philippi Byzantium I A Amphipolis Neapolis N Thessalonica Y Samothrace Nicaea H A Berea Apollonia T t I I A Gulf on I sp Prusa B C lle T Sopater He Luke O A Troas A Dorylaeum D e MYSIA g e L A a Thyatira A n I P A A C H A I G Pisidian P A S ASIA e G a Y Antioch A Athens Ephesus . Corinth R C s Iconium t H Timothy Cilician M Saronic Lystra Cenchreae P Gates Derbe I A s Gulf d Sila Paulu C n s l a I Pau n L Tarsus a I Silasm C Seleucia A Rhodes Pieria Antioch S Y as ab R CRETE S arn k U B ar . R d M A R I P an C Y I s e A M C t e I n d o i N t r e E r r Sidon O a n O e a n S e a H Damascus Tyre P Caesarea I A Route of the Egnatian Way 0 100 km. PALESTINE A B R 0 100 miles Jerusalem A PAUL’S MISSIONARY BAND Because some Jews had plotted against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. Acts 20:2-4 MINISTRY IN THESSALONICA Paul and Silas then traveled through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people. He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, “This Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah.” Some of the Jews who listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God- fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women. Acts 17:1-9 (NLT ) MINISTRY IN THESSALONICA But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd. Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too. And Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, named Jesus.” Acts 17:1-9 (NLT ) MINISTRY IN THESSALONICA The people of the city, as well as the city council, were thrown into turmoil by these reports. So the officials forced Jason and the other believers to post bond, and then they released them. Acts 17:1-9 (NLT ) MINISTRY IN BEREA That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men. Acts 17:10-15 (NLT ) MINISTRY IN BEREA But when some Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, they went there and stirred up trouble. The believers acted at once, sending Paul on to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind. Those escorting Paul went with him all the way to Athens; then they returned to Berea with instructions for Silas and Timothy to hurry and join him. Acts 17:10-15 (NLT ) MINISTRY IN THESSALONICA You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. 1 Thessalonians 2:1-2 MINISTRY IN THESSALONICA Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 1 Thessalonians 2:7-9 THE THESSALONIAN CHURCH We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, 6 THE THESSALONIAN CHURCH And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10 PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY The foundation of ministry is explaining Scripture and pointing to Jesus.